Walking and Wednesdays

Good afternoon, for here it is afternoon. We have had reasonable weather here in Welli this week, though not up to summer standards - the wind is still abounding. Due to the improvement I have been able to walk to work a couple of mornings this week and took some pics on my way so you can see where i come from and where i go. This is half way down the Roseneath hill looking over oriental parade towards the CBD. It's a fab walk on a nice day. I began my 4 day week this week - in an effort to get more out of my last few months in Welli. This started well with a Champagne breakfast provided by work...
...and then a day of writing with Elaine, some of which occured down by the water in the open air as you see here. It's the first time either of us has written with someone else, and was pretty successful on the whole.
I am really looking forward to the weekend as hopefully there are 2 days of lotr site visits and filming in store. Pictures from that next week my friends. Well I'll be off for now coz it's nearly 5. Have a good weekend yourselves. xxxx

Why A Rapper

Bonjour, bonjour!! At last the sun has blessed us with it's warming presence and just in time for our little festival in the Waiarapa (pronounced why a rapper). The transport to the festival was less than organised with a lot of people perhaps left stranded in Wellington due to the train balls up. Luckily, although we had planned to go by train, and had turned up promptly at 8 on Sunday morning, we had two lovely people in our group who volunteered to drive us there when all collapsed around our ears. The scenery up through the hills was stunning, and our car was obviously the fun car as we were dancing so much that when we stopped at the traffic lights the wee thing was bouncing.
Throughout the course of the day we headed to several wineries sampling their fine fare and listening (sometimes dancing) to some funky tunes. One was never without a glass as your ticket was exchanged for a souveneir glass on arrival, which hung about the neck as you trundled from one winery to the next. There was ten of us in our little group and I think we all had a marvellous day in the country, so lets all raise our glasses and say cheers!!

Here's me and Laura with our spanking new glasses

Myself, Laura, Elaine and Tammy at the 2nd Winery enjoying lunch

Me having a bounce among the grapevines

Everyone having a bounce among some more grapevines

A bit of rock

A shot of a stroll amid wineries

Me and my girls

The bunch (minus Nick who was holding the camera)

xxxxx xxxxx

A new abode

Hello y'all. There's been a bit of movement on the western front, for I have now moved to Roseneath and my new carpeted bedroom. It seems like luxury. I moved most of my stuff on Saturday with the help of my now ex-flatmate Anna, and have brought over other bits and bobs throughout the week. Laura has now returned to us which has been lovely, and we took a trip to the cinema on Tuesday to see a NZ film called 'Out of the Blue'. It's about some shootings that happened in a small town outside of Dunedin in 1990. The way it has been done is fantastic and I would recommend you watch it, even though the subject is grim.
These are some pics of the view from my new place taken on weds evening when fred, laura, and their fellow bunacer Chris, came for tea and to watch the Ricky Gervais episode of the Simpsons - very funny.

This is Fred trying to engage our neighbour's cat in conversation. The cat figured out early on that the best thing to do with Fred is just turn and walk away. Very wise.Myself and Laura are off to the food and wine festival this weekend with Elaine, Nick and some others. It should be a jolly good day. Our other big news is that we are off to see Elton John on the 6th of December (me and Laura that is) - wohoo!! He's playing the rugby stadium here in Welli. It should be fab.

Other stuff that's been happening - I was treated to salmon and yummy potatoes at Elaine and Nick's a couple of weeks ago, and then another yummy treat of lasagne on Monday night at the same location, followed by a viewing of Bringing Up Baby. Wonderful film. Myself and Elaine went to check out an open mic night a last week, and the acoustic night the week before. Very enjoyable, although the open mic night had a few strange partakers with one guy singin a random rock opera (including a mixed in version of imagine - need less to say it wasn't good). And that's all I can think of at the mo, plus it's lunchtime - yey!!

I do however want to leave you with a website that you should go and visit coz it shows you just how many earthquakes we lads and lasses have down here in NZ. I just found out about it because we have just had one, and a fellow temp told me where to go to find out the info. So here it is www.geonet.org.nz Check it out!! xxxxx

More posts below

Hey peeps, just a wee message to say a few more posts have been added below the last one as I have finally been able to upload some pictures. xxxxx

Alright, but not all there

Alreet. I have written a few posts recently but there's been problems with uploading photos so i'm going to wait to put them on until they're finished. No shoddy work here thank you! Thought I'd say hi anyway and put on this pic of when we met up with Laura and her folks (aka Bob and Ann) on Tuesday. I'm not flushed, that's sunburn.
It was lovely to see them all (we'd missed Laura even though she'd only been gone a week), and by the sounds of it they're having a cracking time. Just think dad - it could be you!! Other news of the week. Um, I booked my flights down to Christchurch for the Carole King concert next month. I also cancelled my flight home on the 10th of January, and once I've found out what my rents are doing in terms of coming out, I'll book my flight home for sometime in March. Myself and Elaine had a pleasant jaunt to the acoustic night at the venue formerly known as indigo on Wednesday, and that's about it really. Oh, except that I'm moving out of hataitai in just under 2 weeks and over to Roseneath where I shall be staying with Caroline. What's your news peeps? I hear you're off to Dublin Sally? xxxxx

I did it!!

There's only one photo from this, taken after the event, and it pretty much says how I was feeling!! It went rather well really, and I had lots of support there, so thanks to everyone. There was obviously people back home who I would have loved to be there, friends, family, barney and others, but Fred got it on vid so you can all see it when I get home. My set was pretty short (ok very short) with 3 covers, and 5 of my own songs, but you gotta start somewhere, and I have. xxxxx

Caption Comp!!

On the Sunday of Bank Holiday weekend we had a meal out for Sally's birthday at the Brewery. And that can only mean one thing - LAMB!! It was good. Due to our previous viewing of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid we decided to snap a few shots in western sepia style, and here they are. And here's the pic for the caption competition..

Away Day

Allo, I know it has been a long time since we have spoken, but I have been doing things you know. Firstly let me tell you of our drive out of the city the weekend before last. We drove northwards and stopped for a short while at the beach, but the weather wasn't up to much so we continued onwards after a wee play on the playground. There was this weird contraption there, that i have since seen in many places, and we could not get the hang of it as you will see. Our next stop just happened to be another playground, or more specifically an adventure park. There was a zip slide, an assault course, and human hamster wheels (which provided the most entertaining footage of the day thanks to Fred). We then headed in land and had a spot of lunch before stepping out on a small walk. We hadn't got far, however, when it started to rain and we had to turn back. We still had jolly good fun though, especially on the bridge across the river which only allowed one person at a time. It was very bouncy. We drove back via Upper Hutt, and would have had some wonderful views if it hadn't been for the cloud. A re-enaction was never going to be far away, and it appeared in the shape of myself and Fred doing the scene in the gardens of Orthanc between Saruman and Gandalf. It was the exact location used, naturally. And here is F&L at the quarry where they built Minas Tirith and Helms Deep.The girls fancied an evening of musical delight, but unfortunately we picked South Pacific which was far from what was desired. We don't recommend it. xxxxx